The Atlanta Falcons beat the New Orleans Saints, 24-15 on Sunday, November 25, 2023 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta. It was the return of Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder, who had missed the previous two games due to injury and the coach’s decision.
Ridder looked sharp and relaxed in his most confident win of his NFL career. That bodes well for the Falcons as they get into the teeth of their 2023 schedule.
Here are three things we learned about Sunday’s victory.
Falcons Won Big at the Line of Scrimmage
“They did a good job of blocking us up front,” said Saints coach Dennis Allen. “We will look at schematically what we can do to be better there. That was a big factor, them winning the line of scrimmage.”
Not only did the Falcons’ offensive and defensive lines rule the day, but the Falcons safety Jessie Bates came up with a pick six that ushered in the scoring for Atlanta. Here’s how it all went down, courtesy of former NFL quarterback turned analyst RGIII.
Bijan Robinson Is a Star
The Saints had no answer for the Falcons rushing attack, led by rookie Bijan Robinson, who ran for 91 yards and a touchdown to finish with 123 total yards. He also caught a touchdown.
The Falcons (5-6) ran for 228 yards between rushes from Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, Cordarrelle Patterson and Ridder.
Behind the running game, the Falcons were able to ice the game and play keep away from the Saints in the closing minutes of the game.
“That was encouraging,” said Falcons coach Arthur Smith. “That’s where we need to be to close out game.”
Desmond Ridder Shows Confidence
Although he threw two interceptions, both of Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu, Ridder and the Falcons overcame those turnovers to get the win.
“What you like about him is the way he came back,” Coach Smith said of Ridder fighting through his struggles. “He doesn’t flinch. He’s resilient and we’ll keep working.”
“However it came, good, bad or ugly, go out and get a win,” quarterback Ridder said after the game.
Final Play
The Falcons now are in a tie with the Saints for first-place in the NFC South. Should the playoffs start today, the Falcons would get the nod due to their head-to-head battle with New Orleans and their undefeated division record (4-0).
